Automatic check-in apps for Foursquare have been available for some time now, but they all suffer from two major issues; poor accuracy and high battery drainage. To address these problems, Finnish startup Walkbase has introduced Checked, the world’s first indoor positioning client for Foursquare.
Checked is based on Walkbase’s indoor positioning platform, which uses WiFi signals and self-learning algorithms to determine your location. The platform maps out each locale, increasing the accuracy of the service compared to traditional GPS-based positioning, especially inside a building.
“Most auto check-in apps use rough positioning and checks you in even when you’re not at the location. Checked can pinpoint you accurately to indoor locations making the automatic check-ins more accurate than any other application available” says Walkbase CEO Tuomas Wuoti.
The more check-ins the service receives, the more accurate it gets and the less time it takes to scan and verify the signals. This also has a positive effect on your phone’s battery life.
In related news, some of you may remember that Walkbase opened its API to developers just a couple of months ago. According to GigaOM, around 200 developers have already signed up to the startup’s developer program, which means that we can expect more indoor positioning apps to hit the market in the near future.
Checked, in the meantime, is currently available for Android. Get it here.
